Urban Forestry Policy Manual - City of Riverside

Tree/Hardscape Conflicts Guidelines
In keeping with the City’s policy to preserve and protect healthy trees and to
provide for the safety of citizens, the following guidelines have been established
for correcting hazardous situations that result from tree roots disturbing
hardscape in the public right-of-way.
Inspection
When tree roots are suspected of causing hardscape damage, the Public Works
Department shall inspect the tree and assess the potential damage. The size,
species, structure/condition, and (external) environmental factors will be
considered before a recommendation is made.
1. Trunk size (DSH) and height
2. Desirability of the species
3. Structure, condition and health of the tree
4. External or environmental factors such as proximity to overhead or
underground utilities
Recommendations
A tree will be recommended for removal or root pruning if it meets the conditions
outlined in this Manual.
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